Former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has decried the failing democratic systems across Africa, stating that the concept has been distorted to serve only a select few.

Speaking at the 60th birthday celebration of former Imo State Governor, Emeka Ihedioha, in Abuja on Monday, March 24, Obasanjo said democracy, originally designed to serve all, has become a government of a small number of people ruling over a large, deprived population.

“Democracy is meant to be a system of government that delivers to all the people, not just a section. But today, it has become a system where a small number of people govern for their own interests.”

He criticized the shift from direct democracy, where people had a say in governance, to representative democracy, which he argued has failed to cater to the needs of the majority.

Obasanjo also claimed that democracy lacks African cultural roots, making it difficult to sustain on the continent.

“Democracy in Africa has failed because it has no context. It is not African, it does not reflect our culture, values, or communal way of life. Instead of Ubuntu – ‘I am because we are’ – it has become ‘I am because I can grab.’”

He further lamented that African leaders no longer prioritize service to the people but focus on personal gains from leadership positions.

Obasanjo’s remarks add to ongoing debates about the effectiveness of democracy in Africa, especially in the wake of increasing political instability, governance failures, and leadership crises across the continent.